The riots that not only set ablaze our tv screens but also the landmarks of London have come to an end. But after everything; all the violence, all the looting and the quick disregard of society’s morals, we are left both tainted as Brits and not quite sure how/why it all happened. As the public watched in shock we couldn’t quite comprehend how something often associated with far distance oppressed countries had reached our shores. To that end in order to understand what caused the riots we need to understand the people behind it.

The event surrounded the death of a single man, a man who undoubtedly wouldn’t have ever dreamt that he would rise to such fame in his death. His demise initially brought about a peaceful demonstration against supposed police brutality, but somehow or another it was hijacked the thugs of London’s inner-city council estates.  The rioters then used this platform to commit a level of unprecedented damage and destruction to the street of Britain. Starting in London, the fire soon spread across the country reaching as far as the northern-city of Liverpool. What unfolded beneath us was a mixture of anger, frustation & opportunism fused together all from a section of society that is often ignored. Subsequently the number of arrests have totaled the 2000 figure so I ask you all; did the riots break Britain or have parts of society being broken for a long time?

In fact Prime Minister David Cameron has for some time spoke about how he was going to fix ‘Broken Britain’ but the reality reflected by the riots is that not only is Britain broken but in the words our beloved PM ‘sick’. That is true in certain sections of society but to be fair, it’s not just the inner-city council estates of Britain who are broken but the coalition cabinet in it’s self. Cameron’s massive mismanagement of the riots only re-enforced the lack of resistance the rioters faced on streets considering he was in fact on holiday at the start of the event. Whilst, Theresa May (Home Secretary) only made the police’s task harder with her constant interference. But lets overlook Cameron’s failure for a second and look at the wider picture; consider that the council estates of Britain are really ablaze with anger, frustration & disgard to civil society; how would one go about fixing it?

Well from the offset the first task would be to identify the source of problem, on a surface level unemployment levels for young people in Britain is extremely high, nearly 1 in 4 are unemployed with prospects only becoming worse. Therefore with this in mind logic would dicate that if a under-privileged young person is unable to contribute to society & feel valued by holding steady paying job he/she will have some form of resentment. In fact many of the thugs rationale when being questioned was that it was ‘the government’s fault’ for (in their minds) failing them. Nonetheless that still doesn’t justify the level of violence we saw in the riots, however if this resentment was grow to such a level where the thugs felt like they had nothing to lose then this could have justified the riots (in their minds).

So I ask what could make this resentment explode?  Could it be that recent coalition government policies may have affected this resentment, policies such as the tuition fee increase or more significantly the removal of the Educational Maintenance Allowance (that provided key funds for the young people who needed it most inorder to continue in full-time education) which were removed without dialogue (unlike NHS reform) even in the face of large scale protests. Undoubtedly some of Britain’s young people are bound to feel disenfranchised with the system that it supposed to support them, especially when consider that these young people have no escape with funding to youth centres virtually non-existant, leaving them to turn into thugs on the streets. Yes these are legitimate concerns for all young people but does that mean everyone facing hardship should just lash out and do as they please without consideration of the implications on the rest of society? No because our morals tell us otherwise.

Generally speaking you have two options; you can justify this catastrophic event on basis that the state had it coming to it for it’s lack of concern/attention for this forgotten section of society, or on the basis that these thugs were part of the ‘Jeremy Kyle generation’ who lacked morals & are evil minded people who saw an opportunity to get a pair of trainers for ‘nothing’. In all honesty, I’m more minded to the latter because I am unable to justify of the level of violence caused by the riots on some bottled-up resentment. Yes times are tough but they are for everyone! Whilst if these thugs really feel that the government does not represent them & that they are disenfranchised they should turn to ballot box and vote. After-all we live in a democracy were young men aren’t forced to burn themselves alive in order to get their frustration heard (unlike Tunisia). But you make your own mind.

Yet one thing is for sure that the concerns of the young people in Britain need to be heard, there have been some improvements in dialogue with under-privileged communities but there is still a long way to go. And until this dialogue is complete to the extent that the youths of council estates feel like valued & productive members of society, then Britain will remain fractured between two half’s; the council estates & everyone else. With the implication being that although another event like the UK riots may never happen it won’t be due to the removal of frustration & anger it will be due to a more prepared & experienced police force.

I would also like to note my admiration for the police forces across Britain who proved our politicians wrong and did their job right (& extremely well at that). 

All in all, I wonder whether David Cameron still want’s to ‘hug a hoodie’?

The psychiatrist present in the show basically affirmed that those persons could “be cured.” In November 2010, a facebook page invited people to rally for an LGBT pride in Tunisia on June 28. A few months later, the event was cancelled after a number of cybercitizens expressed strong disapproval and created several opposed pages. It seems that homosexuals are not generally discriminated against in Tunisian society but how far is this true? What do young people think about LGBT individuals?

I wrote a survey in which I posed some of the questions I wondered what Tunisians thought about and conducted it with the help of a number of friends in the first week of December 2010 and then in the first week of May 2011. We asked 141 students in those universities which brought together young people from all social classes from all over the country to tick the answers that best correspond to their opinions: Higher Institute of Management (ISG). Higher School of Commercial and Economic Sciences (ESSEC), Institute of Literary Studies and Human Sciences of Tunis (IPELSHT), Higher Institute of Techonological Studies (ISET), Faculty of letters and arts, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Tunis (ENS), Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of Tunis (FSHST), Institute of Advanced Business Studies (IHEC) and Higher Institute of Social sciences of Tunis (ISSHT). We had interesting discussions with many of them. Students are aged from 18 to 25 and answered the French version of the following survey:

This Questionnaire is anonymous.
Age: ……………. Sex : ………….. University: ………………………

1) What do you think about homosexuality (or bisexuality)?
- It’s repugnant
- It’s immoral. I don’t accept it.
- It’s an illness, a behaviour problem.
- It’s abnormal but I accept
- I accept homosexuality but not bisexuality.
- It’s totally normal just like heterosexuality. I perfectly accept it.

2) Do you know any homosexuals?
- Yes.
- Yes, unfortunately.
- No
- No, fortunately!

3) You think that people
- Are born homosexual
- Become homosexual

4) Homosexuals are:
- Just like everyone else
- Different
- Sick
- Perverts
- People who have problems integrating into society
- People who want to distinguish themselves from others

5) You think homosexuals
- Feel good
- Don’t feel good but live with it
- Suffer from a certain malaise and want to change

6) Are you for marriage between homosexuals?
- Yes
- No

7) Are you for the adoption of children by a homosexual couple?
- Yes
- No

8 ) In your opinion, how should society react to homosexuals?
- Execute them. We must absolutely put an end to this plague
- They are sick. Society and the government must help them receive treatment and get over it
- Accept them the way they are
- Grant them all the civil rights that heterosexuals enjoy

9) In your opinion, Society is generally,
- Intolerant
- Indifferent
- Tolerant

10) Your sister/brother announces to you that she or he is a homosexual. How do you react?
- You put an end to your relationship
- It shocks you and you take some time to accept it
- You try to change her or his sexual orientation
- It bothers you a bit but you do as if you learnt nothing new. It’s her/his private life
- You perfectly accept it

11) Do you think that SRS (Sex Reassignment Surgery or sex-change operation) should be facilitated for those who feel they belong to the opposite sex (transsexuals)?
- Yes
- No

12) Would you take part in an LGBT Pride in Tunisia?
- Yes
- No

13) Would you take part in an association whose goal is to defend homosexuals’ rights?
- Yes, I’d love to.
- Yes, why not.
- No, I don’t have time.
- No, I refuse

14) Does Islam condemn homosexuality?
- Yes
- NO
- Rather yes
- Rather no

15) You are rather
- Heterosexual
- Homosexual
- Bisexual

16) What if there are three genders (rather than two only: female and male)
- This is absurd
- That’s a weird idea
- I never thought about it
- This is interesting
- I totally agree
- I have always contested the classification of gender into two
- That has always been my opinion

Results:
Answers were really varied. A few of those who said they did not accept homosexuality said they accepted same-sex marriage. This probably means that they personally do not accept homosexuality and think it is morally wrong but do not mind or care whether homosexuals get married or not. Those who accepted adoption of children by homosexual couples did not always accept same-sex marriage. These students seem to think that homosexuals can provide children with a good and healthy upbringing just like everyone else but do not accept that homosexuality itself becomes recognized and tolerated in society. Others think that same-sex marriage is all right but that adoption of children by homosexuals leads the children to inevitably become homosexual themselves or have a behavioural trouble of any kind and think therfore that homosexuals should stay away from children or at least not be allowed to adopt children. Someone said that adoption can be allowed when the couple make sure children are also raised by someone else (a third person) who is heterosexual and from the opposite sex. A few people agreed with this idea. Some people refused the idea of becoming a member in an association for LGBT rights but said they would gladly take part in an LGBT pride or the contrary.

as some of you might know, members of the Baha’i community in Iran continually face discrimination from the Iranian Government. One of the many adversities faced by Baha’i youth is the inability to attend Post-Secondary Education in Iran.

In recent news, the Islamic Republic of Iran has carried out a series of raids out on 20+ homes where Baha’i Instructors were offering education to those whom still yearn to learn. Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Baha’is have been systematically deprived of higher education. With nowhere else to turn, the community initiated its own educational programs.

“This action demonstrates the lengths to which Iran is willing to go in its campaign to demoralize Baha’i youth, erode their educational hopes and eradicate the Baha’i community as a viable group within their country,” said Bani Dugal, the Principal Representative of the Bahá’í International Community to the United Nations.

This action is also an abuse of International law, under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, “everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion”.

It appears as though the government’s hope through such policies was to see Iran’s 300,000 Baha’is vanish into obscurity. A memorandum, signed in 1991 by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, specified a series of repressive measures against Baha’is, including expelling students from universities if they are discovered to be Baha’is.

It is a shame than this far in our existence as humans we still find ways to harm one another, and not just physically. I hope to see a day where we look back into history and say “I can’t believe the Baha’is were treated like that”, just as we say the same when we read about the Slave Trade.

Peace,

Pezhman

For further information on the event please visit Here

When Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Israel by killing innocent children and indignantly walked out from Davos summit, most Arabs craved Erdoğan to be their leader. Turkey during justice and development party or AKP era has altered toward democracy and human rights significantly. Besides, AKP’s socially conservative but politically liberal approaches have made Arabs to admire on Turkey additionally. That’s in spite of wide speared Turkish shows that are broadcasting in Arabic TV channels, which they show fantasy love stories. However, it’s possible to see that Turkey indirectly has inspired Arabic nations to topple their own dictator and suppressive governments.

Egypt’s size and population is so like Turkey, but ironically when it comes to economy and political system you can see the huge gaps between the two countries. The GDP of Egypt is 215 billion$ compared to 730 billion$ in Turkey which means 3.5 times bigger. If we also consider that Egypt has some natural gas but Turkey has none. The Qatari-based Al-Jazeera channel in the recent years has emphasized on Turkey a lot. Through Al-Jazeera which according to media companies has approximately 50 million viewership almost its news daily have contained some news about Turkey and most of it was positive. Also, Turkish TV shows have had a huge impact on making Turkey more beautiful and attractive to Arabs. Even Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ or fame as Muhanad in Arabic world according to CNN is Middle East’s Brad Pitt. It might not be directly, but indirectly through those and other reasons Turkey has inspired and motivated Arabs to demand better political and economic situation. A recent poll which conducted by The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation or TESEV in eight Arabic countries including Egypt has shown that 80% of the people admired by Turkish model of politics and economy, and they called Turkish model as exemplar. If we consider that a big number of populations of Egypt are christens (about 8 million) and Islamic Muslim brotherhood, the country’s most formidable political force, and the flagship of Islamism in the whole Sunni world is most likely in a free elections will win by a landslide, so adopting AKP model will thrive their opportunity devilishly to take power (If they don’t want to be isolated like Iran).

You can’t imagine Turkey’s clout in the Arabic world until you take a close glance. In Tunisia, Islamic Nahza movement which has a big popularity has already announced that in there next conference in the upcoming months they will reform their party to be like AKP. That’s clear sign for how much Turkey’s Islamic moderate AKP is becoming role model among moderate Islamic movements in the Arabic world. Moreover, AKP contribute to success moderate Islamic parties that were about to fail and there supports alter to radical Islamic movements. Supreme leader of Iran said Middle East turning to Islamic region, it might be true, but he should not be happy about it because he has no grace in this turning, but Turkey’s so far successful conservative AKP has made Islamic conservatism to be attractive.

A journalist in Kurdistan region of Iraq

A lot of people still think I am here for journalism and give me subjects to write about. Like the artist Tanya Idris who has problems with the local government over his business or a poor guy who received money from a high-ranking government official to help his sick children for treatment. For a story you have to hear all sides and this takes a lot of time in Kurdistan. I have a lot of deadlines for my university and I need to find people to help with translating for my research and contacts.

Tuesday I heard a protest was happening in Salahadin University, but by the time I got there, I was already too late. Opposition media claimed some 100 protestors tried to demonstrate, but were stopped by the Asayish (security agency) and two journalists were arrested. A friend of mine who works for Reuters also went there, but also was too late. As a result I wasted my time, while I had a deadline for university.

A lot of people say protests in Erbil are impossible. First, because the KDP don’t allow it. Second, because the people in Erbil care more about their jobs. This while Sulaymaniyah is known for having a history of discontent and protests against the government. The opposition is reluctant to protest in Erbil, although lot of people say they are planning protests and there also rumours of secret student committees planning protests.

It was confirmed by the activist Ali Mahmud that the opposition had some plans for protests. Some opposition people were arrested before when they attempted to protest on the streets. Opposition people came to him and even offered him some financial support, but eventually he says the opposition was too scared and their main people are still in Sulaymaniyah. When he tried to protest on the remembrance of Halabja he was arrested. Some months ago he was arrested for organizing a protest in front of the Iranian consulate.

Recently people were speculating about a demonstration in Erbil on Thursday, but I didn’t expect any demonstrations, so I ignored it. For most events in Iraqi Kurdistan you have to be in Sulaymaniyah. Not in Erbil.

On Wednesday 23 March 2011 the Iraqi Minister of National Reconciliation Amer al-Khuza’e said that six militant Iraqi armed groups decided to join the political process. The Islamic Army, the 1920 Revolution Brigades, HAMAS – Iraq (a 1920s splinter group), the Mujahideen Army, the Rashidin Army, and the Shariah Commission of Ansar al Sunnah (an Ansar al Sunnah splinter group) are all said to be in reconciliation talks with the Iraqi government. Some people hoped this would decrease violence in Iraq. But the Al Qaeda affiliated group in Iraq “Ansar Al Sunna” (Helpers of Sunna) rejected this statement a few days after and claimed it would continue operations against the ‘occupier’.

One policeman claimed the recent attack which killed between 45-60 people and wounded more than 90 people, could be a message to the Iraqi government from the insurgency. Al Qaida wants to show that the insurgents will continue their operations against the Iraqi security institutions and the American forces, the policeman from Tikrit told by telephone.

Iraqi political analyst Ibrahim al-Sumaidaie agreed with this and told Reuters the same story: “It was expected that al Qaeda would stage a big show to attract attention after a reconciliation between the government and some Sunni armed groups, who were close to al-Qaeda,” Sumaidaie said. “They wanted to say that the reconciliation announced by these groups are baseless

The main suspect remains Al Qaida. The town of Tikrit is known to be a stronghold of the insurgency and the home town of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

The militants also managed to kill council member Abdullah Hussein Jabara, former governor of Tikrit who received the body of Saddam Hussein from the American army in 2006. His bodyguards managed to jump out of the upper floor of the provincial council building, but he refused, saying ‘I am not a soldier’. When militants reached the third floor of the building, they killed him. Security sources say there was no car bomb, but just the use bomb belts when police tried to approach the building.

The operation was well-planned and looked similar to an earlier hostage of a church in Baghdad in October 2011. Tikrit saw attacks and unrest before. On 13 March 2011 there was a riot in a prison in Tikrit. On January 18 2011, 50 police recruits were killed in Tikrit by a bomb attack claimed by Al Qaida. It’s likely that Al Qaidia is behind the last attack too.

That this attack happens after reconciliation attempts by the Iraqi government is not surprising. Attempts to spoil peace processes often happen. Although people expect violence to decrease during peace talks between insurgents and governments, this is often the opposite.

Conflict expert Stedman defines spoilers as “…leaders and parties who believe the emerging peace threatens their power, world view, and interests and who use violence to undermine attempts to achieve it. Spoilers inside tend to use “strategies of stealth” to undermine the process, while outside spoilers are likely to use overt violence. As for instance in the case of Iraq, Afghanistan, but also in Ireland where the Real IRA tried to spoil the peace process after a ceasefire of the Provisional IRA.

Its likely that more attacks could follow after reconciliation attempts by the Iraqi government and that this could weaken attempts for reconciliation with the Iraqi government. The same happened in Turkey when peace talks attempts between the Kurdish rebels of the PKK and the Turkish government were hampered by attacks.

A Wikileaks cable in 2004 suggested that the US PRT mission in Erbil was of the opinion that most Kurds accept the Kurdish parties to curb extremist messages from Imams, but that this sometimes can result in a backlash after an Imam who attacked Israel in his speeches, was replaced by an Imam praying for rain. Recent events show that imams refuse to be silent anymore and speak out in favour or against protests against the government.

Out of curiosity I went to recent Suleymaniyah protests to see what the people think about the new role religious clerics play in the protests. In my own country there is a big discussion about the role of Islam in Dutch society, sometimes leading to polarized debates. Religious clerics have been seen leading the prayer and making comments against the government, while pro-government media showed imams calling for calm and tranquility. An article will be published about this in the local Kurdish newspaper Rudaw.

Protestors told me they are pretty happy with the involvement of imams, while being negative about pro-govt imams. One of them, a girl, wearing sunglasses and fashionable clothes, said imams were part of Kurdish society. They don’t fear the involvement of imams nor that their involvement in politics will hurt their message. Something which the recently deceased Kurdish Sheikh Izzedin Husseini from Iran claimed about the involvement of religious clerics in Iran. He feared it could hurt the image of the clerics, suggesting this now happens in Iran.

Someone said imams would be pelted with rocks in the demonstration, if they would be pro-government and slogans could be heard against the Kurdish MP and religious cleric Dr. Basher Khaddam al-Hadad. I interviewed two clerics, Dr. Basher Kh. Al-Hadad from Erbil, who denied being against the protestors and saying he is against violence from all sides and Mohammed Nasrullah from Suleymaniyah. Both have a lot of respect for theologian Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who is seen as the intellectual force behind the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and who played a role with his speeches against the rulers of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. There are some rumours he is coming to the Kurdistan region, but its probable not true.

Dr. Jotiar Mahmood from the Sarenge Centre For Strategic Studies showed me it might be difficult for me to understand, because in the Netherlands religion plays a different role than in Kurdistan. He says Islam is a social phenomena and is part of the local society here in Kurdistan. He emphasizes that all political parties in Kurdistan claim to protect Islam and that Islam has played a historical role in Kurdish nationalist movements, as shown by the uprisings of Sheikh Mahmoud, Sheikh Saeed Pirani and Mulla Mustafa Barzani, the father of the Kurdish president and leader of the KDP.

Although the role imams play in Kurdistan is not something completely new, its clear that the Friday prayers on the square are something new not only for Kurdistan, but also for the rest of Iraq. Its clearly copied from Egypt.

In addition there is also a older traditional political role for Islam. There are also Islamic parties like Komal Islam and the Islamic Union of Kurdistan (Yekirtu). A source in the Kurdish Security Service (Asayish) told me that the Islamic Union follows that ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and tries to gradually transform the Kurdish society in an Islamic state. He compared the IUK to the AKP in Turkey and said they have a program of three stages to gradually Islamize the political system.

The Kurdish Security Agency (Asayish) is tasked with monitoring mosques and fighting terrorism, while the police is involved in combating normal crime.

But Dr. Jotiar told me that most Muslims and Muslim parties adhere to Suffi Islam and aren’t not very radical and are in favour of democracy. Although there are also extremist insurgent groups like Ansar al-Sunna. Most of these political movements originate from the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan, which was founded in 1979 right after the Iranian revolution and still exists, but is split.

The leaked cable of the PRT mission in Erbil shows US officials here consider the region to be pro-American and considers Kurdistan to have a tradition of moderate and tolerant Islam.

I was on my way to visit a long-time friend living in Ghazir, Mount Lebanon. Sitting in the back seat of an old Mercedes taxi cab, I was accompanied with 3 other passengers apparently heading towards the same destination. I was very excited to explore the area since it was my first time in that region of my beloved country. Yet, my excitement quickly turned into confusion and fear in the midst of the road, when a discussion about politics began among the passengers in the car.

“The Sunnis are pretty much pissed with how the Shiites kicked out their leader. I wonder if they will do their own May 7!” said the driver, after listening to the 8 p.m news on the radio that indicated the resignation of the Hariri-led government. “Well who cares. It’s a Sunni-Shiite problem. We are not in danger” replied the passenger sitting in the front, wearing a black leather jacket and puffing his cigarette smoke as he adds: “Let the Muslims fight for a while. They never did this country any good anyway!” The discussion proceeds and the passenger sitting next to me, apparently a young university student throws a startling statement: “But if they ever come close to us, we should be ready to hit back at whatever cost”.

It was such an uncomfortable setting for me. First, I am not used to this kind of discussion. Second, I am new to the area and was hoping for some hospitality by its residents. Last but not least, I am a Muslim myself. I felt as if I was confined in the middle of a self-defense plan of those who consider me their enemy. Looking out the window at the pine trees that surrounded our road, I wondered: “Am I wrong to be here? But wait – I’m still in my own country. My own beloved land” …yet the feeling of belongingness suddenly shook.
Few days later, I pass by a mini market in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The shop owner was following the news on the television when a speech by a Christian leader was being aired. It did not take him long to comment: “This man is an Israeli agent just like these Christian followers of him” he said. “See why we need the weapons? Look at these traitors!” he added, looking at his coworker sitting beside him, who nodded in agreement.

It may be a naïve question, but I kept questioning myself: Why are we treating each other like enemies? Fear, hatred and threats saturate many of our conversations. Haven’t we learned? Or better to ask: When will we learn?
These poisonous and inhumane discussions that we engage in as Lebanese are not only disturbing. They have dangerous consequences. What else but religious discrimination fueled the events of May 7, 2008 and the many other random clashes during that year and the years that followed? What else but this attitude of fear, rejection and hate.

Yet, what is sad, unfortunate and actually dangerous is that such poisonous conversations have echoes in the Lebanese society at large. It all culminated when I decided to apply for a new job.

Knowing that I definitely have the academic and professional qualifications, I had no worries.I was quickly asked for an interview with the first company I applied for. Upon arrival, I was received by 3 people whose elegant attire and welcoming smiles left me looking forward for the rest. As expected, the interview unfolded with questions raining on me from every direction. While most of the questions focused on my career and qualifications, there were some about my background, my interests and talents, my attitude towards teamwork and the ever so famous what-do-you-think-are-your-weak-points question. Fortunately, my responses were pretty much adequate, well-informed and straight to the point. Noticing the signs of astonishment and satisfaction on their faces, I was pleased to see that they were impressed with what I had to say. Their questions and my answers flowed smoothly and I was very certain that I satisfied the criteria they were looking for … until the staggering question that followed:

“Excuse us for the question, but what sect do you belong to?”

There was a pause.
Then silence.

I felt awkward, hoping that I misheard what I was just asked.

“Sorry–again?” I asked.

“Your religion –what religious sect do you follow?”

I was never comfortable talking publically about my religious faith. It is something I regard as utterly private and unnecessary in any conversation, particularly a job interview!

“Well … I’m a Muslim Sunni. Is there a problem?” I asked, expecting them to simply carry on.
To my surprise, they didn’t.

Once again, silence filled the room. But, the expressions of dissatisfaction on their faces were worth a million words they could have said to me, which triggered a wave of worries in my mind. Then, the main interviewer said:

“We’re afraid that yes…there is a small problem.”

I gulped. Speechless, I raised my eyebrows; I was at a loss for words and for thoughts and I needed an explanation. The main interviewer, taking a deep breath, went on to explain:

“You see, we divide some positions in our company according to religious sects. Unfortunately the position you are applying for is not for your religious sect…which means we are unable to accept you.”

Shocked, my eyes grew wider. I was in total disbelief. For a second, I thought that this must have been a trick question, or some interview trap to test my response.

Again, I was wrong.

“We’re very sorry” he continued, “– but this is our system, and it’s no different from the country itself, you know. But actually you could still apply to another … ”

At that moment, I stopped listening. My mind went completely blank and I only saw myself standing up, with full force and tension, heading towards the door.

“I’ll tell you what I know!” I said in a trembling voice. “… what I know is that I am neither interested in this position, nor in you, not even in the whole company anymore!”

I quickly ran to the exit, speeding with every step, turning my deaf ear to whatever they had to say. I was trembling, very mad and furious. One strong feeling persisted: the overwhelming feeling of being dehumanized.

For the first time in my life I was being narrowed down from an honor graduate, an accomplished, ambitious and determined individual to simply ….a “religious group”.

For the first time in my life, I was being judged for my religious faith, a personal conviction that had no implication on my professional performance on any job. All the qualifications that I had for so many years and worked hard to achieve, whether within academia or within the school of life …were diminished within seconds.

The drive back home was probably one of the hardest for me. I had so many questions and so much anger at this confessional system that runs Lebanon and I needed to get home as soon as possible to clear my head. I felt so degraded to the extent I started questioning myself:

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” Probably I should not expect much of this brotherhood spirit to appear in a taxi cab or a mini market. But where did all disappear in that interview room? Is that what I get after years of hard work? Is this how the efforts and talents of many young men and women are appreciated in Lebanon? Then, why do they wonder why the youth of Lebanon are traveling abroad where they receive a fairer and equal treatment? Questions hurled through my mind but remained unanswered.

As Lebanese, the way we perceive each other matters the most. It affects the trust among us and therefore any opportunity of cooperation and solidarity. As citizens, we should all be guardians of human rights, not just our own rights, but the rights of those around us for the mere fact that we share the same value as human beings, regardless of the differences, which should be seen as a sign of rich diversity. Yet, engaging in these poisonous conversations threatens our ability to survive and move on as a nation.

From time to time, I recall the awkward moments where I heard the poisonous conversations that breaking up my country from within. The most appalling was in the job interview, where I felt that life was redefined, by those who do not know me, and for reasons that I never expected. Echoing the painful words in my mind, I try to bury them in the wastes of my black memories. Those were moments I shall not forget, as their painful thorns had distorted my blossoming hopes for the Lebanon that I dream of and violated my most basic of human rights.

Just last week, I took to the streets with my fellow friends raising the demand to abolish the discriminant sectarian system. As we marched under the heavy rain, I felt that the memories of my bitter experiences are being slowly washed away with every drop. Yet I know that there is a long way to go. Securing the dignity and value of human beings in a discriminant society will require long days of patience, determination and above all: the will power to start a change.